Minus the Eggshells
by mshellb
Summary: Shane and Kimberly fanfiction: My take on their life together minus the eggshells. . . how it should have been!
1. Chapter 1

**Malibu, California 2007 **

Peachy knew. Andrew knew. Jeannie knew. For several years, they were the only ones with ties to their lives in Salem that Shane and Kim could trust to keep the secret. If it had put the lives of their children in greater danger, neither would have divulged the secret. But as things stood, Andrew and Jeannie were sheltered in the safe house, and Peachy's ISA training protected her and assisted the Donovans in having some semblance of a normal family life.

For all everyone else knew, Kim and the children lived in California with her "husband" Phillip, a movie mogul. Unbeknownst to almost everyone, Phillip was Shane's partner, an ISA operative. Shane and Kimberly and the children owed their life together in immense part to Phillip and Peachy. Kimberly even mused that Phillip had succeeded greatly in restoring her faith in ISA operatives, considering the shenanigans of both Gillian and Gabrielle and the upheaval and torment brought about by the Jericho case.

Phillip, assigned to protect the Donovan family and monitor the goings-on associated with Stefano DiMera, spent three years living as Kim's husband and helping the Donovans establish the façade that served to keep the lie alive. Living in the Malibu mansion with four wings and an underground living area, it was easy for Phillip and the Donovans to have separate lives. When he and Kim had "divorced," Phillip had been reassigned. Shane and Kimberly felt forever indebted to him for giving them the chance at a life together.

Keeping the secret from Kayla had proven more difficult, but Shane and Kimberly had had much practice in clandestine romance. Once Kimberly had "divorced" Phillip, Kim and Shane together filled Kay in on what had transpired five years earlier. To say Kayla was bamboozled was an understatement, but Shane and Kim's explanations and the underground living quarters finally helped her see the truth. She felt violated—and relieved. After her affair with who she assumed was Shane ended, she felt enormous guilt. There was a sense of relief that she, too, had been duped, and Shane suspected she had been drugged as well.

Daunting to Shane, Kimberly, and now Kayla was the extent of the ruse the Donovans were forced to maintain to lead a life together. While Kimberly gushed about the guilt she felt in keeping Kayla in the dark for the three years she had known, Kayla insisted she understood. If she could have had any life with Steve, under any circumstances, she would have moved mountains.

Sadly the ruse isolated them from the family they loved in Salem, yet it protected them from the fatal danger precipitated by one who shared their last name—Shane's twin Drew, whose lucky death had made the family's secret life possible.

**Salem—January 1990**

Despite the expectations of some, Shane adjusted to his life quite easily. Yes, he had been presumed dead and suffered from amnesia, but those unfortunate circumstances and the messiness that followed hadn't depressed him. In fact, he felt reinvigorated with an even greater zeal for life. One constant, rock solid, was his love for his wife and hers for him. True, Kimberly had been tormented by his "death" and his amnesia; moreover, her guilt about Cal Winters had threatened to envelop her. Together, Shane and Kimberly faced this problem directly—no walls, no secrets this time, Shane vowed. Lengthy conversations and their undying love enabled them to return to their normal lives and loving, passionate marriage.

Two weeks after Cal's arrest, Kimberly even returned to work. Her role at the abuse clinic was good medicine and she thrived in her roles as wife, mother, and abuse clinic director. Shane had been in talks with the ISA about what his role would be, yet they were in agreement that Shane had earned a well-deserved respite from ISA operations for the time being. Shane spent his days riding while Kim was at work and Andrew at school. This favorite past time gave him time to contemplate what direction his professional life should take. He knew his job as an ISA operative had robbed his family of peace of mind, especially Kimberly, one too many times. There had to be a way to satisfy his professional aspirations without stress on his family. Shane played in his mind's eye the scenes of his life as an ISA agent. Danger, intrigue, excitement were undeniable consequences of the job. He couldn't deny that a case, the Dragaon nonetheless, had brougth him his life's greatest treasure--Kimberly. She encouraged him to do what he felt was right; she wouldn't deny him the job he enjoyed to quell her fears. They had reached an understanding that nothing, not even his work, could threaten their marriage and family again. For the moment, international intrigue didn't excite him, but he would call Tarrington and work something out, he resolved. Lost in thought, Shane didn't notice his horse's reticence to enter the stables. Suddenly and without warning, Shane was hit from behind.

His last thought before passing out was Kimberly . . .little did he know that two years would pass before he'd see or touch her again, that it had nothing to do with the ISA, and that it all came down to family. . .


	2. Chapter 2

**Seattle—June 1992**

Walking along the wharf, a flood of memories engulfed her. Before arriving in Seattle yesterday for the child welfare conference, Kimberly had been adjusting, establishing a new routine in California, managing to ignore the lingering thoughts of Shane during waking hours. Now, sipping her store-bought tea, Kimberly tried to focus her mind on the agenda for this week's conference. She glanced at her watch, wondering what neighborhoods Kayla and the children were exploring that very moment. Since coming to California last month, Kayla and Stephanie had made California feel more like home to Kim, Andrew, and Jeannie. The tension of the last year between them was gratefully a distant memory. Kayla was quite frank with Kimberly about her break up with Shane, explaining quite matter-of-factly that both of them had known true passionate love once, and what they shared couldn't compare. When pressed by Kim, Kayla admitted these had been her words, but Shane hadn't protested. The sisters were now searching for a home together in a neighborhood with good schools. Their bond, stronger than ever, buoyed their resolve to make a happy life for their children. Actually, Kim marveled that in a shorter period of time, Kayla seemed to make the adjustment to West Coast life more easily than she. In truth, Kim realized as she turned the corner to her hotel, a part of her would always be in Salem as long as Shane was there.

Now two years later, Kimberly still could not fathom the unsettling change in Shane that compelled her to leave Salem then. Change, actually, was too benign a word, she thought. The transformation on the heels of his amnesia made Kim even wonder if there had been brain damage that could have rendered the man who had loved her so completely a shadow of her husband. True, they had enjoyed a brief blissful reunion, but Kimberly's pregnancy and the possibility of the child being Cal's turned Shane to stone. The ever-present pain over the loss of their daughter a few years earlier compelled Kimberly to leave Shane, once his newfound cruelty threatened this new life. Kim was willing to accept part of the blame for all the ugliness that had transpired since her decision to leave and have Jeannie far away from Salem, from Shane, and from the uncertainty of her paternity.

It had been five months now since she had left her hometown, surrendering to the reality she had been reluctant to accept for more than a year—Shane no longer loved her. It seemed impossible even now that their love hadn't survived. He listened stoically and unmoved in January as she had confessed her love once more. This time she hadn't expected, as she had hoped during her last few months in Salem, that his stony exterior would melt to reveal the man she loved. Sadly, Kim had become accustomed to the almost robotic responses that emanated from the man who had once loved her with such passion and intensity. She had made this final declaration, knowing he said his future was with Kayla, but still incredulous that this wasn't a nightmare she was reliving on a dark, stormy night. Now as if on cue, a light rain began to fall, and Kimberly ran the last two blocks to her hotel.

The front desk had only one message for Kimberly Donovan. Smiling, the clerk handed Kim the memo.

"Thank you," she replied, scanning the note to read that Kayla had found two promising homes in today's search. _Don't worry about us. Andrew and I have rented Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II, and once the girls are asleep, we're all about the popcorn. Talk to you tomorrow. Kay _

Kim sighed, grateful that the children were in Kayla's capable and loving hands, considering this was her first time away from them. Andrew, especially, was having a tough time of late, adjusting to California and worrying about Shane's paralysis. At one time Kim would have moved mountains to help him in whatever way she could as he had helped her contend with blindness and Emma's murder trial. Crossing the threshold of her hotel room, Kim chastised herself, _Enough, Kimberly. Don't rehash the past. You have plenty of things to do tonight to prepare for tomorrow's sessions. _

All at once before she even had a chance to turn on the lights, Kimberly heard the crescendo of breath coming from the dark corner of the room. She felt goose bumps dot her arms, her body recognizing the scent and sound before her mind. The breathing had a familiar cadence; she felt an ache as her body realized what had long been absent.

"Who's there?" she asked, her heart and senses already cognizant of the answer in the darkness. Her mind still could not fathom the reality, so she stepped closer to the shadow who sat immobile in the rattan chair where she had lain her nightgown just hours earlier.

He let out a deep sigh, running a hand through his dark curls. "Kim," his voice faltered, revealing the magnitude of his emotions. He rushed towards her, clasping her in his arms. "I've waited so long for this moment," he gushed, pulling her into a passionate kiss. Her lips responded automatically to his. Despite their many months apart, their bodies anticipated the other's next move. Kim, at first, made no protest, knowing innately upon hearing his breathing, that it was Shane. That the man she had loved had returned. Pulling away from him long enough to catch her breath, Kim gaped at the sight of him, his legs perfectly planted beneath him. Stunned back into the reality she had known for the last year, Kim broke free from his embrace. "What the heck are you doing, Shane?" she implored.

Stunned, Shane couldn't take his hands off of her. His eyes were sponges, trying to soak in every last inch of her face. It had been a little more than two years since he had last seen her. Not speaking, he slowly guided her to the bed, making her sit and kneeling by her side. "Kimberly, darling," he began softly, "I'm not sure where to begin." A thousand questions swarmed in her head, and she stared at him as he removed the walkie-talkie from his pocket and murmured, "I've made contact. Guarantee me a few hours, Collier. I'm counting on you."

"Captain, our surveillance shows nothing suspicious. I'll contact you if things change."

"_When_ things change—it's bound to happen, Collier."

"Get back to your wife. Explain this nightmare. Out." The other voice on the other end of the walkie-talkie vanished, and Shane turned to face Kimberly, who eyed him suspiciously. Taking her hands into his, he stood and sat by her side on the bed. Kim knew something about him was different. The look in his eyes spoke to her in a way they hadn't communicated since before she had left him two years ago. Still, she couldn't reconcile this man with the stone of a man who had broken her heart and spirit.

"Kim, I need you to trust me implicitly. We don't have much time. I'll try to answer all your questions, but there's one irrevocable fact you have to accept—I love you. I've never stopped. Everything I've done the last two years was to bring us here at this moment." He stroked her face, moving blond wisps of hair.

Tears stung her eyes, yet ignoring this declaration of love, Kim pressed him, "Shane, what is going on? Who were you talking to? What's going to change?"

Taking a deep breath, feeling the gravity of this moment, knowing that two years of loneliness and plotting had reached its climax, Shane plunged into his tale: "I killed Drew. I had to. And our lives will never be the same."


	3. Chapter 3

Kim's subconscious understood what Shane was trying to tell her before her conscious mind could grasp it. This explained why she hadn't pulled away or slapped the man who sat beside her now in a hotel room in Seattle fervently proclaiming his love—despite having inflicted more than two years of anguish and heartbreak.

"Shane, your legs. . . you can walk?" Kim searched his face for an explanation.

Realizing at this moment that this aspect of the charade was the most easily explained, Shane sighed, "I was never paralyzed, Kim. It's all part of the plan, another detail in this long sordid mess that's separated us."

Exasperated, Kim stood and searched Shane's face for a trace of the stony bravado she'd grown accustomed to from him in the recent past, but miraculously she found none. "I don't understand. What are you doing here? What happened to Drew? And what does it have to do with me?" Slowly, Kim's simmering anger struck at the man who had wounded her so. "When you left us in California, you made it perfectly clear that our only connection is the children. So what, now that my sister has dumped you, you think I'd take you back? How bloody cold-hearted," she surmised. Walking toward the chair that Shane had been sitting in when she had entered, Kim felt the heat of his eyes on her back. Turning to face him, she was astounded by what she saw. Tears stung his bloodshot eyes, and he seemed to bear her vitriolic words like Atlas, a world-size dose of the pain she'd meant them to be. His appearance carried her back to the warden's office, when she'd been sentenced to prison for Emma's murder. That Shane had suffered like this, bearing the weight of locating Andrew, finding Emma's real killer, and freeing her from prison. Yes, he had tried then to be strong for her, but Kim had felt that he was dying inside. This Shane in front of her now ached the same. Incredulous, Kim just stared at him, just as she had at the very same prison when he'd brought the news of her freedom and of Teddy Stewart, their Andrew.

Very carefully, Shane began, "Kim, all I can say, as unbelievable as it sounds, is it wasn't me. None of it. Not California, not the paralysis, and not Kayla. Dear God, how you must have suffered. My only hope these two years has been that the lies and evil Drew perpetrated didn't kill your spirit or our love." Slowly moving towards her once again, Shane took her hands in his and continued, "It's still there, Kim, our love. I can feel it. And from that kiss, I know that you still feel it, too." His lips sweetly brushed hers. "I can see, though, that Drew's deception and lies did their damage, just as I feared. I swear I'll spend the rest of our lives making that up to you."

Kimberly felt Shane's electric touch as powerfully as ever. "It wasn't you." She stated, more a fact than a question. "It was Drew. How? When?"

Guiding her to the sofa, Shane began the explanation he had been waiting what seemed a lifetime to give: "You remember after the business with my amnesia and Winters, we finally were able to put our lives back together. We were so happy, Kim. You had gone back to work, and I was trying to figure out what, if anything, I planned to do for the ISA. About two weeks after the mess with Winters, I had gone riding, and on my way back to the house from the stables, I was attacked. I'd been hit from behind. My reflexes were a bit off, I suppose. When I'd awakened, I knew my attacker at once." Shane sighed.

"Drew." Kim responded, knowing her brother-in-law's penchant for the surprise.

"Yes, Drew. I was shackled to a bed in a dark place I didn't know. I had no idea for how long I'd been unconscious. I pleaded and cajoled him, trying to get him to explain what was going on, where we were, and why he'd brought me there.

_"Dear brother, you'll understand it all in due time." Drew smirked. "But when you do, you'll be powerless to stop us." _

_"Us?" Shane wondered aloud. His brother's laugh confirmed Shane's worst suspicions. It was DiMera. Drew was once again in his employ. _

"Don't worry. You're more valuable to us alive than dead. It's just such a right-o commodity that we look exactly alike." Drew taunted.

"I tried to get away, tried to get Drew to tell me more, to give me something I could use to break free. It was futile. He left me in the care of one of Stephano's henchman." Shane shuddered remembering those first few desperate months he was held captive. "He visited infrequently at first and then more often at the end." Easing his anxiety, Shane's eyes found in Kim's face the reassurance that she believed this incredible saga.

Kim listened intently, realizing the gravity of what Shane told. Her heart, heavy for the pain Shane had suffered, fluttered in her chest. His words confirmed what the core of her had known—Shane loved her, he hadn't stopped. The reality of the two years they'd been separated suddenly hit her and she threw her arms around him.

Her head on his shoulder, Kim whispered, "Shane, I knew you loved me. I felt your love. It wasn't coming from you, or who I thought was you. But it was out there, still alive. And that's what I couldn't understand: how you, or who I thought was you, could tell me we were finished, that you wanted a life with Kayla, when I still felt you loving me."

Shane held the embrace, relishing the smell of her hair and her perfume. He pulled back, so they were leaning forehead to forehead, to finish the tale that sealed their future. "Kim, there's more. Posing as me proved more difficult than Drew realized, but he had some well-funded, well-positioned assistance thanks to DiMera. The one element of the plan they couldn't troubleshoot for was you. Drew knew you'd realize it wasn't me. . ."

Kimberly cut him off and guiltily acknowledged, "And I played right into his hands by running away when I realized I was pregnant and that Cal could be the father." She shuddered remembering the desperation she'd felt then.

Shane squeezed her hand, dismissing her feelings of guilt. "The circumstances made it easy for Drew to drive you away. He knew he had to play it as though he'd been the injured spouse, pained by the woman he loved, cold and unforgiving."

"But I should have known, Shane," Kim began to think aloud. "It didn't make sense that when Jeannie was born you wouldn't tell me you'd been at the hospital. That you'd use her as bait to catch Cal, that you'd react so nonchalantly when we discovered she was your child, not his."

"Jeannie," Shane smiled, breaking Kim's reverie. "You named her after my mother." Overcome with emotion, Shane ran his hand through his hair, tears stinging his brave eyes yet again.

"She's beautiful, Shane. She has your eyes. I can't wait for you to see her. She adores Andrew. Oh, he has grown so much. Oh, Shane," Kim couldn't continue as tears filled her eyes now, too. She reached for the photo of their children she kept in her purse and handed it to him.

"She does have my eyes. My Andrew, he's quite the young man isn't he? Damn it, Kimberly. I've missed so much." Seething, he continued, "My damn brother robbed us of two years. Our children suffered and you've suffered. He has paid with his life. It's a price I never intended, but sitting here now I'm acutely aware of the anguish he's caused. I dare say he deserved it. What I don't know is how I'll ever be able to forgive myself for not stopping him sooner."

Catching her breath, Kim asked, "How did you stop him, Shane? How did you get away?"

"It took months of waiting, watching Stephano's henchman, regaining my strength after months of being kept immobile. Drew's visits to what I came to discover was Stephano's island in the Caribbean grew more frequent as time passed. DiMera has something big planned, something the ISA has intelligence about, so to reemerge with little threat of being foiled, he needs Drew. Getting rid of you made things easier for Drew. No chance you'd discover him. He had free reign of the house and my contacts. There was one thing he wasn't banking on, though."

Kim finished his thought, "Kayla."

"Yes, your sister was the surprising 'fringe benefit' as he called her that in the end led to his downfall. He'd talk about Kayla, wanting to know all I knew about her. He couldn't seem ignorant of details I should know. I realized his ardor was his Achilles's heel, his weakness I could capitalize on to make it back to you." Shane kissed Kim's hand. "I tried not to dwell on the pain you were feeling, thinking I'd abandoned you and the children while involved with your sister. I worked for months to loosen the bindings that held me to that bed. I knew the right time to strike would be fortuitous; I'd know it when it came. It finally did come. In January. Drew told me you and the children had relocated to California.

"_She took it well, old chap." Drew sneered. "Must not have been much of a love affair if she were willing to run off again." Drew moved closer to Shane, who lay on the bed with his back to his twin. "She did pledge her love for you again, though, dear brother. I'm somewhat inclined to believe that, despite everything, she does truly still love you." _

_Wanting to see the hurt in his brother's eyes, Drew grabbed his brother's shoulder to turn him over. In one swift move, Shane slugged him with one hand, knocking the wind out of Drew, now lying on his back on the floor of the hut. Shane stumbled to his feet, relishing the feel of the hard earth beneath his feet. Drew sprang to life, once he realized Shane was no longer tethered to the bed. _

_Pulling a knife from his pocket, Drew snickered, "Don't give me a reason to use this, little brother." In an instant, the brothers were fighting for the knife and, Shane knew, the right to live. Only one would leave that hut alive, and thoughts of Kim, Andrew, and the daughter he had never met urged Shane to fight, to survive. Wrestling on the floor of the hut, Shane's ISA training, reawakened by his yearning to make it back to those he loved, proved the deciding factor. Shane grabbed the knife, holding it to his brother's throat. _

"_I should kill you." Shane spat._

"_You wouldn't. That conscience of yours is quite the albatross." _

"_You'll pay. There's no way out, Drew." Shane pulled him up by the scruff of his shirt, throwing him on the bed. _

"_You're wrong, Shane." Drew seethed, eyes cast down. Keeping his eyes away from his brother's seemed to give Drew courage to do what he thought was unavoidable. Grasping another knife from his pocket, Drew lunged at Shane, piercing his left shoulder. Instinctively, Shane took the knife in his hand and plunged it into the back of his brother, his attacker. _

Shane finished the tale and with a sigh explained, "I killed Drew. I killed my brother. I had to. And our lives now will never be the same. Posing as me, Drew was able to get him the information he wanted and needed for DiMera. Posing as Drew, I'm going to bring down DiMera once and for all."

"Shane, what are you saying? This isn't over?" Kim pleaded.

"My darling, I can promise you that, if you'll have me, we can be together. The details to make that possible, though, you might not approve of."

"I will do anything for us to be together. Anything. You know that." Kim answered, pulling Shane towards her for a kiss. Kim felt Shane's hands on her skin, knowing this dance well, anticipating where it would lead. "Make love to me, Shane." His receptive eyes gave an undeniable answer. Moving gently toward the bed, their euphoria was palpable. Suddenly and without warning, Shane's walkie-talkie sounded a three-beep alert. Kim sighed as Shane reached for the device.

"Damn it." Shane spoke into it, "Collier?"

"Donovan," the voice was curt. "No activity. You're safe until dawn. Be at the car at the prearranged time. Out." Shane put the walkie-talkie on the nightstand, next to the photo of their children, and turned back to his wife.

"Shane, I'm assuming he's ISA." Kim began. "And he's on our side."

"Yes, Phillip's my new partner. We can trust him, Kim. We'll have to, for my plan to work. For our family to be safe."

"I told you," Kim said coyly, "I'll do anything for us to be together." She ran her hands over his bare chest, still incredulous that he was here and they were on the verge of making love.

"Anything?"

"Anything."

Shane felt compelled to share the crux of the plan that involved Phillip. "Kim, Phillip is going to be much more than my ISA partner."

Kim noted the seriousness was back in Shane's voice."What else is there, Shane?"

Picking up the walkie-talkie, Shane grimaced, turned the knob to on, and replied, "Kim, say hello to your new husband."


	4. Chapter 4

Shane finished the tale and with a sigh explained, "I killed Drew

"My new . . .what?" Kim questioned, her green eyes searching Shane's face for an explanation. Shane, sensing Kim's incredulity, returned the walkie-talkie to the off position and grabbed both of her hands in his. 

"Darling, you trust me, and you said you would do anything for us to be together." Shane gently reminded her.

"I . . . yes. . .but Shane. My husband? What is going on?" Kim couldn't fathom what he was telling her, yet it sounded eerily familiar. "I hate to remind you I've done this sham marriage thing once before. To capture Gillian," she added, as though he were the one who needed the reminding. 

"Kimberly, Stefano is far cagier and lethal than Gillian ever was. We can't anticipate a quick fix this time. This situation may take years to remedy, but in the end it's the happiness and safety of the people we love that will make the sacrifices worthwhile." 

"Shane Donovan. I love you, but I need to know everything. No holding back to protect the mission. If I'm going to go through with this grand plan, there are things I must know." She responded, running her hand through his curls. 

"Kim, I've spent the last five months posing as Drew posing as me. I've had minimal contact with DiMera and his minions, but from what I can gather, my duty is to be the point man inside the Brady family, ready to act when he needs me. I've taken very careful lengths to meet you here tonight, so as not to jeopardize your safety or my impersonation of Drew. DiMera must continue to believe that I died in that hut on his island and that Drew is living my life as he sees fit. If I'm going to bring DiMera down and dismantle his organization, this charade has to continue." Shane sighed, fearful that he had not made clear the precariousness of the situation. He kissed her lips and with foreheads touching, he whispered, "It's so much more than just an ISA mission, Kim. DiMera is hell-bent on ruining the Bradys."

Kim's heart leapt in her chest, but for the moment, her head won out. She moved away from Shane and searched his eyes for more clarity. "So a marriage to someone who is not you will satisfy Stefano DiMera? Shane, I don't understand." 

"Kim, I have to make you understand. Do you think it's merely a coincidence that Roman 'died' separating him from Marlena and the children? That a vat of acid tore Hope away from Bo and Shawn Douglas? That Steve was killed, leaving Kayla and Stephanie devastated?" The desperation in his voice punctuated each question. 

"Oh, dear God, you don't know about Roman. He's alive, Shane." 

"I know, my darling, I know." Shane sighed. "Drew had told me, but I was still in awe when I returned to Salem and saw Roman and John together. DiMera is the mastermind of this, and my suspicion is he was behind Hope's and Steve's deaths as well. Toscano and Alamain were merely DiMera's minions." 

Suddenly as if on cue, for Shane knew Kim would deduce the inevitable, hopeful conclusion: "If that's true, that means Hope and Steve could be alive." Tears welled up in Kim's eyes. "Bo and Kayla. We have to tell them." 

"No, Kim." Shane sighed. 

"What do you mean, 'No, Kim.'? Do you know the unbearable pain and the anguish they have suffered?" Kim winced, cognizant from the pained expression on Shane's face that he did. Nonetheless, she continued, "Well, I do. I thought you had died in that explosion during the Jericho case, and there's nothing like that searing pain. Don't get me wrong, Shane. These past two years, thinking you no longer loved me, were terrible, but nothing compares to that pain." 

"Kim, I understand, really I do. I'm not heartless. I love Hope. If I can do anything to bring her back, I'll do it. Now there's evidence that Hope may be alive; nothing at all about Steve but we're looking. But Kim, if we react now, any chance we have of bringing Hope back could be lost completely. Believe me, my real mission until we know for sure otherwise is to find Hope and return her to her family. But, if DiMera suspects that we know or that I'm not Drew, we could truly lose her for good." 

Kim stared into the eyes of the man she loved and nodded her head. This simple gesture communicated her agreement; now she listened intently as Shane delineated the plan that would transform their lives. 

"Your marriage to Phillip serves a few purposes. First, he's an ISA agent, so he can protect you and the children. For all intents and purposes, it will appear to everyone, including DiMera, that you have moved on and that I am obsessed with my work. DiMera will believe that I am his operative, ready to strike when needed. I will continue to uncover any details about Hope's whereabouts, and together with Peachy and Phillip, we can amass what we need to bring down DiMera once and for all." 

Kim sat mesmerized by what Shane was telling her, but more by the reality of sitting here next to the man she loved and thought she had lost. "How exactly will we be together?" she probed, somewhat incredulous at the intricacy of the ruse. "Climbing through windows and clandestine meetings in hotel rooms?" Kimberly felt a twinge of guilt about her petulant response, but continued. "We're parents, Shane. Our children need something normal." 

"Jeannie and Andrew need us, need their family intact. It won't be easy or normal, but yes, we can be together." Shane assured her, taking her hand in his and planting a feathery kiss on her fingers. "I've found a house that befits a movie producer. That's Phillip's cover. The house has four wings. One for the Colliers the outside world knows, one for Kayla and Stephanie, one for the ISA regalia, and one for the Donovans. Believe me, Kim. I've spent the last five months methodically and meticulously planning this. I wanted to find you as soon as I returned from the island, but I knew that for us to be together, for you and the children to be safe, great precautions and planning were essential. There's nothing more important to me than you, Andrew, and Jeannie. I only hope that the life I'm offering you now is one you can live with." 

"I'm willing to do whatever it takes to be together, Shane. I've lived long enough without you. If you say this is what we need to do to be together, then I'll do it. I trust you." Kim kissed his hand. "I love you." She kissed his lips. "Now make love to me." 


	5. Chapter 5

**February 2008**

Kimberly adjusted her seat to a comfortable position, closed her eyes, and finally exhaled. The day's events flashed through her mind—a painfully persistent staccato of scenes, a reminder that Poppa was gone. A grown woman now with a family of her own and living so far from Salem, Kim still felt that a part of her would always be Pop's little girl, "his best and his brightest." That nickname once upon a time felt heavy, requiring her to be more than who she was. Yet long ago Pop had erased the pressure she had put on herself, reassuring her that he loved her no matter what. She often heard his voice in her head when she talked to Andrew and Jeannie, whether celebrating their successes or supporting them through tough times. Truth be told, it was Poppa's words that had sparked the fire in Kim to persevere, to fight for the life she and Shane shared. His brogue came back to her now, as distinctly as it had all those years ago on the pier when she and Shane seemed to be at an impasse:

"_Well then, girl, fight for it. Aw, come on now, I know, look, it's easy to quit. It is, it is, everybody thinks that's the thing to do today—to be quitting. Let me tell you something about life, young lady. You sit there for all those long years, and then one day you're gonna turn around you're gonna look at yourself and you're gonna say, 'What, what if . . .what if I'd fought for that?' Well, if you're gonna fight, now is the time to do it.'"_

Taking Poppa's words to heart, Kimberly had fought for her and Shane—even during the years it seemed that he had abandoned her and had turned to Kayla. It was that fight in Kim that enabled her to survive when their love seemed lost. She remembered that upon hearing Shane tell of Drew's machinations that fight flickered in her heart—the part of her had known their love was still alive despite what seemed to be true.

Sighing deeply, Kim acknowledged that the painful sacrifices she and Shane had to make to preserve the safety of their family. Their absence was painful for both Poppa and Mama. There was some comfort in the knowledge that she and Shane had revealed most of the ruse to them five years earlier when they had come to celebrate Jeannie's Confirmation. Kim recalled their astonished faces as she surreptitiously led them into the wing of the house where the Donovans happily led their lives as a family. She could sense the truth register on their faces with each step they took. Very few people—the Donovans, Peachy, Kayla, and Stephanie—frequented this wing. Learning it all—Drew's deception and death, Shane's complicated impersonation of him, Stefano's threatening and looming presence—was both a relief and misery for Kim's parents. Shawn and Caroline had always been convinced Kim and Shane belonged together: what they witnessed now—their love obvious and their children happy—affirmed this belief. Elation for their daughter and her family was tempered, though, as Shane and Kim explained the charade they lived. Kim wished she could have spared them the worry about Stefano, but she knew with Bo and Roman in Salem, no harm would come to them.

But harm had befallen Pop. A plane crash. From what Shane could tell Stefano was not the cause, yet with the news of John's true identity and Brady's disappearance, Kim and Shane made the painful decision that only she would travel to Salem for Pop's funeral. Oh, she wasn't alone. None of the Donovans were anymore. Andrew often joked even the President of the United States wasn't as well guarded as he, Jeannie, and Kim. The guards were skilled at keeping a safe distance, allowing them privacy, yet they were always an arm's length away whether the Donovans could see them or not. Henry, Kim's bodyguard, sat across the aisle from her on the flight back to California, and he was indistinguishable from the hundred other passengers.

Caught up in a maelstrom of emotions and memories, Kim turned her head toward the window, remembering her last conversation with Pop. Lamenting she had missed another Brady Christmas, Kim was uncharacteristically glum during that phone call. Trying to quell her sadness and lift her spirits, Pop said, "Oh, I know it isn't easy. Near or far, your mom and I, we love you. Family is a blessing you can feel no matter how far apart we are."

"Oh, Poppa, you always know what I need to hear." Kim had sniffled.

Next came the Irish proverb Pop was wont to repeat to his children: " 'Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God,' Kimmie. Know that what you're doing to keep your family together is worth the sacrifice." As Kim dabbed her eyes with one of Pop's old handkerchiefs, she resolved to continue to make him proud. This promise lulled her into a fitful slumber.

As the plane touched down in Los Angeles, Kim was anxious to get home. She felt a hunger to see her home, hug her children, and embrace her husband. On the walk to claim her baggage, Kim took her cell phone from her purse and called home.

"Mom?" Jeannie's voice immediately soothed Kim's anxiety.

"Yep, it's me. My plane just landed."

"How are you, Mom? I mean, how was, um, everything. How's Grandma?" Jeannie asked unsure of the right words to say.

"Your grandma is one amazing lady. It was a tough day, but she's doing okay." Kim explained.

"How are you holding up, Mom?" Jeannie's dark green eyes searched the space in front of her as if her mom were right there.

"I'm doing okay." Kim's voice quivered, but she recovered. "I'll be better just being home with you guys. Is your dad there?"

"He's on his way home, and Andrew just called to say his two o'clock class was canceled and he'd be here by dinner time. I thought you'd like if we were all together tonight, so I'm making dinner for the four of us. Dad is picking up dessert."

"Oh, Jeannie Beanie, that's just what I needed. How'd you guess?"

Sighing, Jeannie let her childhood nickname slip by without chastising her mom: "I just know you so well. You're always telling me how family is everything, a blessing we should hold on to."

"I said that?"

"Yep. Try Dad on his cell. You know he never goes anywhere without it."

"Will do. See you soon, honey. I love you."

"Love you, too, Mom."

As Kim pressed the speed dial to reach Shane, she smiled to herself remembering Jeannie's words: "You're always telling me how family is everything, a blessing we should hold on to."

Shane's voice mail picked up almost without the phone ringing. Kim began the message in her usual way: "It's me, love. The plane has landed and we're collecting our bags. I'll probably make it home before you. See you there." The message finished, Kim was about to hang up, but she was moved to speak again into the phone: "I love you, Shane." By now Henry had collected his bag and Kim had hers, so they moved to the limousine waiting for them.

"Climb in, Mrs. D. I'll put your bags in the trunk." Henry advised.

"Thanks, Henry." Kim nodded gratefully, put her hand on the handle, and opened the door.

What transpired next seemed to happen in slow motion. Kim climbed into the limousine and immediately sensed something was amiss. She had not shut the door, but as she tried to step out of the vehicle, a rock hard hand impeded her exit and shoved her onto the black leather seat.

"Where do you think you're going?" The sneering voice spat the words. In one swift move, an unconscious Henry was forced into the back seat, too, and the doors were slammed shut and locked. Kim began shouting, pounding on the windows, but it was already clear this was not an amateur operation. Whoever this was knew exactly what he was doing. Whoever this was came prepared to take down an expertly trained bodyguard. Kim pounded next on the opaque window dividing the limo's driver from its passengers.

"What are you doing with us?" Kim cried. "What do you want?"

The window slid to reveal the back of the head of a gray-haired man. Remaining silent, he held up his left hand—a fist, and stretched his fingers. Kim's eyes recognized his gold ring, yet it took a full deep breath for the dragon insignia it bore to register.


	6. Chapter 6

Kim awakened, cold and groggy. Her mind was a morass of memories, running into each other, leaving her befuddled and sad. Slowly, she pieced together what she could recall—Poppa's funeral, the wake, the plane ride, her phone call to Jeannie, her message for Shane. Sadness of the loss she soon remembered suddenly brought the dawn of dread: the Dragon's ring sliced across her mind's eye, jolting her back to her present reality.

Unsure of where she was, Kim sensed almost immediately that she wasn't alone in the shadow dark room. The breathing of whomever it was nearby told her this person was asleep—or at least was pretending to be. Carefully, Kim opened her eyes to narrow slits, trying to appraise who lay there before her in what felt and smelled like a damp cellar. This initial cursory glance at her cellmate revealed little, since whoever it was lay face down on the cot. Courage slowly filled her veins, so Kim tentatively moved toward the hidden figure, hoping to uncover an ally who wanted to escape the Dragon as much as Kimberly did.

Kim stealthily tiptoed toward the cot across the dark cell, appraising the size and feel of her surroundings. _You're quite the detective, Nancy Drew_, Shane often teased, whenever Kim retreated to what he called her teen sleuth mode, dissecting one of his cases with rapid-fire questions and observations. Kim was acutely aware, though, that in a dire situation, the power of observation could not be overlooked. No matter how minute it would seem, something she saw could easily be her ticket out of wherever it was the Dragon had stashed her.

Moving slowly to face the sleeping figure, Kim was soon close enough to make out from the dark straight hair strewn across her face that it was a woman. Two more tentative steps toward the woman brought Kim both joy and pain. She gasped at the recognition, causing the woman to spring to life, grabbing Kim's wrist and pushing her onto the now empty cot.

"Hope, Hope, it's me. It's Kim. Oh, thank God." Kim yelped, trying to withstand the pain that came from her sister-in-law's knee jutting into her back.

"Kim? I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Are you okay?" Hope released her, helping Kim regain her breath, and led her to sit on the bed. Sitting next to her, Hope questioned, "What are you doing here?"

Kim rubbed her wrist and looked incredulously into her friend and sister-in-law's face. "Don't you know who's brought us here?"

"Kim, the last thing I remember I was leaving the pub to pack a few of Ciara's things for Dad and Julie. They were going to keep her overnight, so I could focus on helping Bo heal." Hope's voice trailed off as she recalled her husband's precarious health. "Oh, Kim. What if he needs me and I'm not there?" she wondered aloud miserably.

"Hope, he'll be okay. If I know my brother, he's already well on his way to being well and figuring out where we are."

"Where are we?" Hope questioned, her eyes scanning the darkness of the cell.

"Where? I don't know exactly, but I do remember who took me, so my guess is England."

"England?" Hope was now incredulous as she swung her head to concentrate on what Kim had told her.

"It's him. It's the Dragon. I recognized his ring." Kim explained.

"The Dragon?" Hope couldn't believe her ears. "But he was given a life sentence all those years ago."

The women's conversation abruptly stopped as the wooden door creaked open, letting in light and their captor.

"Pleased to see that my guests are awake. You've found the accommodations to your liking, ladies?" the Dragon mused sarcastically, surveying the cell's meager provisions. The Dragon stood before them weaponless, yet the two guards behind him held guns they were ready to use.

"How?" Kim wondered aloud, clutching Hope's hand, never taking her eyes off of the Dragon or his guards.

"Never mind how, Mrs. Donovan." The Dragon chimed. "That certainly seems irrelevant now. What matters now, fair ladies, is why. And you won't have to wait long for the answer." He smirked, "Unfinished business."

"Revenge?" Hope asked. "If you want revenge on us, why keep us alive in this cell?"

"Oh, your deaths are imminent. However, the party is incomplete. I anticipate the arrival of your cohorts soon enough."

"Bo and Shane?" Kim replied. "What have you done to them?"

"Done to them? Why, I've merely sent them invitations." The Dragon produced a photograph of an unconscious Hope and Kim, bound and gagged, with the inscription "London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, London Bridge is falling down, my fair ladies?"

Kim knew that once Shane saw the photograph, nothing would stop him from coming to London, cognizant as he'd be that he would be walking right into the Dragon's hands. Kim knew her brother, too. Injured or not, he would not rest knowing that Hope was in danger.

"You'll never get away with this." Hope countered.

"Mrs. Brady, I already have." The Dragon motioned to the cell and its sub par accommodations as he backtracked toward the exit. "Your husbands should be here promptly, and alone, if I haven't underestimated them."

The Dragon motioned to the left guard who produced a photograph whose contents were knives to Hope's and Kim's hearts.

"Oh my God!" Kim cried. "No . . ."

"You're a monster." Hope spat through clenched teeth, trying not to let the image of a tearful Ciara crush her.

"You see, if they don't come alone, these two young ladies will never return home." The Dragon sneered as the mothers' eyes absorbed the photograph of Jeannie cuddling a frightened Ciara in a similar cell. "Our business will soon be finished, fair ladies." He smirked, shutting the cell door behind him.

"Okay, Hope, so what are we going to do?" Kim asked desperately, knowing the gears in Hope's police mind were already turning.


End file.
